The Umbrella Matter
by Panda-chan-plays-tennis
Summary: Penny and Sheldon are walking down the street when it starts to rain. A shared umbrella makes Penny start to think of 'What if'
1. Chapter 1

The Umbrella Matter

Penny and Sheldon were walking down the street, talking quietly about the movie they had just seen, when the rain started to fall in heavy drops. Laughing in delight, Penny twirled and looked towards the darkening sky. She heard muttering beside her, and looked over to see Sheldon pulling out his "Just in Case" umbrella from his messenger bag. It was such neurosis, but one that used to drive her up the wall. However, all she could feel was affection for Sheldon's idiosyncrasies.

"Sheldon, a little water never hurt anyone. You should come out from under that umbrella and enjoy the rain." Penny gave his hand a good tug for measure before skipping farther ahead. She was glad that she decided to wear her cheap flip-flops. That way she could jump in puddles without worrying about her shoes.

"You would not be so blasé with your attitude towards rain if you knew what was in the atmosphere. You would not want to be hit by dirty water."

Penny sent him a Cheshire-sized grin before tipping her head back. Sheldon's gaze narrowed into a glare. He took a measured step towards her, but Penny matched it with a jump back.

"Penny. Rainwater contains pollutants, soil, plant parts, insect parts, bacteria, algae, and sometimes radioactive materials that the rain has washed out of the air. You should not …" his advice went unheeded as Penny opened her mouth, stuck out her tongue, and let the large droplets fall where they may. Sheldon's face twisted into something reminiscent of disgust before sighing. He turned from Penny, continuing on the trek to their apartment complex.

Smirking, Penny jogged up to catch up with him, but made sure to jump in the puddles along the way. She got weird looks along the way, but that was to be expected. Not only was she a twenty-something adult jumping around in the rain, but she was also a well known actress. After she hit it big on a surprisingly popular Sci-Fi movie, Penny's movie career had sky-rocketed. It went from off-Broadway to silver screen status. She had Sheldon to thank for it all. He had decided to put her head-shot in for the Sci-Fi movie's casting call. It was based on one of his favorite graphic novels and he thought she would do well. She didn't even know what he had done until she got a call back.

She had progressed from "best-friend's girlfriend" status to being his actual best friend. Penny dragged Sheldon out of self-imposed seclusion. She took him to various activities that he once abhorred the mention of: roller skating ("Penny. I refuse to put my feet into shoes someone else has already used. It's unsanitary!"), dollar movies ("If I wanted to sit in a disease riddled room with copious amounts of people, I would go to an office party."), or even to 'Build-a-Bear' ("Bears are terrifying Penny."). However, he went along with everything. Her 'Moonpie' bear, which was sitting on her bed, was a testament to that, while Sheldon's 'Omaha' bear sat on his shelf in his room.

The dragging wasn't only being done on Penny's part. Sheldon started taking her to museums (It's dead people without skin! Ew!), bizarre movies (But why are their eyes so big?), and Penny's personal favorite, the observatory (So cool!). Their companionship, while not the most orthodox, was one that Penny soon relied on. When asked by Leonard why she was trying to change Sheldon, Penny could only reply with the statement, "I'm not trying to change him. I'm merely enhancing him." Penny was pulled out of her musing when Sheldon wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled Penny close.

"You are being rather ridiculous Penny. If you get wet and cold you will be more susceptible to getting sick. Then we will not be able to go the observatory to watch the meteors, but, rather, have to stay home and watch it on the TV." Penny's eyes widened at the notion, before getting closer to Sheldon under the umbrella. Sheldon had surprised her with the tickets to watch the meteors weeks ago. She was looking forward to seeing it with Sheldon and hearing his monologue about it.

"Fine, you win. I'll stand with you under the umbrella." She sidled up closer to Sheldon as they continued on in amicable silence. The only sound Penny could hear were the rain drops falling on the umbrella. Sheldon was right of course. Penny didn't realize how cold she had been until she was pressed against Sheldon's warm, solid body. Blushing, she ducked her head down. As of late, Penny had been thinking of Sheldon in ways not appropriate of best friends. How could she not! She got to see a side of Sheldon that no one else ever did. He was her confidant in all her dreams and aspirations. When she got of set, Penny would call Sheldon to see if he wanted to meet up. They were often being mistaken as a couple by the tabloids. 'Would that necessarily be a bad thing?' Sheldon wasn't classically handsome but he did have something there. His eyes were intense, with both color and gaze. She had walked in on him shirtless and saw that, while not ripped, he did have definition in his muscles. He was actually really sweet when you looked past his idiosyncrasies. He saw the world in the complete opposite direction of Penny but they seemed to complement each other. Would it be such a bad thing if they got together?

They reached their apartment complex and started up the stairs. Penny could afford a more luxurious apartment but then she would not have Sheldon so close. She wouldn't be able to steal coffee in the morning before she headed off to work. Wouldn't be able to flop on his couch and watch TV with him on a whim. Leonard was on a sabbatical at the Large Hadron Collider and would be gone for another year at the least. They had parted affably but it was still awkward to be around him. Penny and Sheldon finally made it up the stairs and were standing outside of her apartment. As she pulled her keys out to unlock the door, Penny beamed at Sheldon and proceeded to thank him.

"Thanks for keeping me dry. I know that you got a little wet by sharing."

"Penny, I do not mind sharing my umbrella with you. It was only logical." He sent her an actual smile before heading over to his door. Turning back at her, he remarked, "You should go take a hot shower and stay warm to prevent a cold. I will meet you tomorrow for breakfast."

Penny stood in her doorway, looking at the door of where Sheldon had just retreated before realizing what she was doing. Flushed, she went in her apartment and headed to her bathroom. This whole problem was going to need a bubble bath.

**I know that I have another S/P to finish but this story demanded to be started. I'm working on the DIQ, but I am a point where I have to invest more time researching stuff. Time that I can't afford. This semester is almost over so look out for new chapters. Let me know what you think of this one. Cliché Sheldon/Penny but everyone should write one. Much Love!****


	2. Chapter 2

The Umbrella Matter

Chapter Two:

While Penny got ready to soak her cares away, she thought of how everything changed. How one conversation with Sheldon changed everything.

"Has it really been two years since it all changed?" She mused to herself as she stepped into the steaming tub.

Two years earlier:

Penny was just starting to give up hope. Hope of being able to make it as an actress. Hope of being able to afford to live in California. Hope in her relationship with Leonard. She felt as if they world was crashing down around her. 'I just can' catch a break' she thought to herself as she searched for her purse in her chaotic apartment.

Sighing, she grabbed her apron, purse, and headed out the front door. As she was making her way down the stairs, she bumped into Sheldon.

"Sup Moonpie" Lately, she was trying to get a rise out of Sheldon for kicks now. Seeing his face tick was one of her few highlights. Penny wasn't disappointed.

"Penny. I have told you countless times, my Meemaw is the only person allowed to call me Moonpie."

"Whatever you say." Felt all the desire to pick on Sheldon leave her. After the last ten audtions that had said "She wasn't right for the part", she was starting to feel more and more like moving to California was one huge mistake.

"Penny, correct me if I am wrong, but this is the instance where you and I would share in witty repartee, is it not?"

"I'm just tired Sheldon. I'm not getting any gigs, they cut my hours at work, and I am behind on bills again."

"Well I could lend you funds again. I still have the monetary means to do so…"

"No Sheldon. I'm not going to borrow money again. It made me a little crazy last time." Shaking her head, she continued down the staircase. "Moving back to Omaha might just be easier."

What Penny did not see as she made her way downstairs was the widening of Sheldon's eyes, or his mad dash for apartment. Once there, he got on his laptop. In the Google bar, he typed in 'Movie Auditions for females.' After a few hours of diligent computer work, one trip to Penny's apartment for a headshot, and one hacking of Penny's computer, Sheldon pushed away from his desk smirking.

One week later:

As Penny was getting her mail, she noticed Sheldon coming in the front door with Leonard. Leonard saw Penny and made an immediate beeline for the stairs. Even after a few days, he was still avoiding her after the big fight they had. Sighing, she put her mail under her arm and turned to Sheldon.

"How's it going Sheldon?"

"It is going continually, Penny. I am one step closer in my project to unraveling the secrets of the universe." Hitching up his bag farther on his shoulder, he looked over at her mail. "That letter looks rather important. Maybe you should open it now."

Frowning, Penny looked down at the envelope and almost did a double take. 'Why is there a letter from DC? Ugh, it's kinda sad that I know what that is.' Checking twice to make sure that it was written for her, Penny ripped open the letter.

Greetings Penelope Smith,

Thank you for your interest for working on the set of "Gen¹³". We at the DC casting call were quite pleased with not only your headshot, but your impressive resume as well. It is not often that women will put horseback riding, roping, or the ability to shot a gun accurately as skills on their resume. However, it was the selling point for us. We would appreciate it if you would come down for a formal casting call. There will be a few action scenes we will ask you to try out, so be ready to move. Our number is listed below, and we hope to hear from you soon.

Penny's jaw continuously dropped throughout her entire reading of the letter. 'When did I put in that I could shot a gun? When did I send DC my headshot? When…' her thought process ground to a immediate halt when she noted the smug look on Sheldon's face.

"Good news I presume?" Sheldon remarked, his smile of glee barely contained.

"Sheldon, what did you do?"

"I merely put in your headshot and resume, slightly tweaked by yours truly, into an online casting call for a female lead on a Sci Fi movie. That part seemed to utilize not only your acting skills, but your practical skills as well." Sheldon made his way up the stairs leaving Penny in her wake. "As thanks, you can drive me to the comic book store later. Goodbye Penny" he tossed over his shoulder, before he was gone from sight.

Disbelief kept Penny in front of the mailboxes, before she started laughing. Penny laughed until she cried.

The next day, Penny was scheduled to meet with the DC casting people later that afternoon. As she was going through her closet, she was for once at a loss. 'I've never auditioned for a Sci-Fi movie! What am I supposed to wear?' Her thoughts were broken by the sound of three successive knocks followed by a "Penny?" Walking into her living room, she waited for Sheldon to finish his routine knocking before opening the door. Standing there was Sheldon holding Target and comic book store bags.

"What are the bags for sweetie?"

"Well Penny, as you are not accustomed to the comic that you are auditioning for I decided that, as your friend, that I should lend you my assistance. So here" he placed the bags into Penny's arms "In these bags are not only comic books from the series that have the character you will be playing, but a top that would be most appropriate to wear to the audition. As you will be performing aerobic actions, I would recommend wearing comfortable, worn jeans."

"I don't know Sheldon. Most casting calls they want you to be as pretty as possible. I bet I could run around in a skirt and just…"

"Penny. They will cast you for not only your looks for your abilities. Plus, with the top I purchased for you and a pair of jeans, you will look remarkably like the character. Except for the hair color, but they can always CG the color to fix that problem. Now, go read the comic books and familiarize yourself with the character." With that being said, Sheldon turned around and went back to his apartment.

Curious, Penny went over to the kitchen counter and upended the bag onto it. Ten comic books, along with a hunter green shirt came out. 'Well, I've got time now.' She thought as she dropped gracelessly onto the couch with the first comic in hand.

A couple hours later, Penny was still engrossed in the comics. She had to extract herself from the comic so that she could drive to the audition. Upon her arrival, she was presented with four other girls auditioning for the part. They were all tall, leggy, blondes wearing skirts, dresses, and heels. Penny bit her cheek to stop the shriek of outrage that wanted to bubble out. 'Last time I listen to Sheldon' she thought as she plopped down into a available chair and pulled out the comic she was working on.

Penny wasn't paying attention to the people around her so she was slightly startled when a voice spoke to her.

"What are you reading?" a male voice asked her.

Jumping slightly in her seat, Penny looked over to see a man wearing glasses, a hoodie, jeans, and converse sit down next to her. He was nerd, but so were her boys. 'He's probably trying out for one of the guy parts.' Smiling, she showed him the cover of the comic.

"I was trying to familiarize myself with the character I'm auditioning for. The comic is interesting and I can't put it down."

The man smiled at this admission and put out his hand. "Daniel Michaelson. And you are?"

"Penny. Very nice to meet you." Penny responded with a firm handshake. They continued to talk about the comic for the next ten minutes before a man in a suit came out of the auditioning room. Penny looked expectantly at him but was again startled when Daniel stood up and made his way over to the man in the suit. He whispered in his ear, and entered the door behind him. The suited man cleared his voice to get everyone's attention.

"Thank you ladies for coming. I regret to inform most of you that the position has been filled. Will everyone except Miss Penny Smith please leave. We appreciate your time." The girls grumbled as they left as Penny got her stuff together. The man motioned her into the back room. Walking through, she saw Daniel sitting at a table with 4 other men in various styles of dress. Being the big ol' five that she was, she couldn't help but ask.

"Why me? You haven't even seen me act."

It was Daniel that responded to her question. "Penny. You were the only girl to heed our dress code, plus you have actually made the effort to read the comics. If that weren't enough, you were nice to someone you didn't know had sway with the audition process. I tried to talk to the other girls, but they all told me that I was out of their league. We want a girl that acta like Caitlin Fairchild both on and off screen. That'd be you Penny. Now, let's have you read us a couple lines and do a couple of stunts."

The audition was a whirlwind of activities. She had to show that she could load a gun, shoot it, jump over boxes, jump through a window pane (empty of course), and that she could still act while doing this. Penny left the audition exhausted but exhilarated. They had loved her! She had the part! She sped all the way home and barreled up the stairs. Letting herself into the guys apartment, she found Sheldon pacing in the living room. He looked up, the big question in his eyes, and Penny couldn't contain herself. She hugged him. Hugged him while spouting a litany of 'Thank you's, 'I owe you', and other profuse praises.

Sheldon, blushing slightly, extracted himself from her embrace. "I'm glad that you got the part Penny. I presume that means you are not leaving."

"Nah, Moonpie. You're stuck with me for long time to come." Penny smiled and laughed merrily at Sheldon's immediate frown at the use of his nickname.

****So I've been working diligently on my other BBT fic, so this story fell to the wayside. However, I was struck with inspiration to continue it. That, and it is kind of nice to write a story where I am closer to the actually show's plot…well kind of.. I'll hopefully get another chapter out soon, but Dissociative Identity Quandary is a main project. Quick note, Gen¹³ is an actual DC comic book/tv show. I don't own anything. The lovely people of DC created the whole universe. That being said, hope y'all like this story. Much love!****


	3. Chapter 3

The Umbrella Matter

Chapter Three

After getting out of the tub, Penny was making her way through her room. Her various awards and accolades crowded what few shelves she had. However, her favorite was the one that Sheldon made her a year ago. It was for 'Most Attractive Halo Proficient Player' and it never failed to make Penny smile. Next to it was the snowflake the Leonard had given her ages ago. Picking it up, Penny mused to herself. It's crazy to think that Leonard had been gone for almost two years now. 'Actually, he left right after I officially started on the set. Crazy. Time sure does fly.'

One ½ Years Earlier

Penny was dragging herself up the stairs. The director had spent the day making her jump through the same window pane to make sure that she could roll out of the jump correctly. It wouldn't have been too bad if she didn't have to roll into a full split. "It'll look awesome! I promise!" was the director's constant comments when Penny gave him 'You gotta be crazy!' looks.

"Ugh! Why did I agree to attempt all the stunts instead of just going with the stunt double?" she groaned using the wall to propel her up the last few stairs. She almost groaned again when she saw Sheldon posed to knock on her door. 'Probably wants to make sure that I haven't quit yet.'

"What up, Moonpie?" she said, lacking all her usual enthusiasm.

Sheldon turned around, frown firmly in place, ready to chastise her before he noted her appearance. "Penny, I understand that men are not supposed to make this remark but you are not looking quite as attractive as you normally put the effort into.

Snorting, Penny pulled her keys out of her purse and shoved them into her door. "Thanks Sheldon. It's just been a really long day."

Sheldon looked at her curiously before following her into the apartment. "Penny, I believe that I may be able to relieve some of your strain." He remarked as he started to rearrange the chaos that was housed in her living room. Penny glowered at him while he started to move her stuff into order. "I have come to believe that it is easier to go get food rather than trying to make it oneself. I would like to offer the suggestion of us going out and finding such readily available provisions."

It took Penny a minute to process what he was trying to say to her. "Oh! Dinner would be great! I was just going to make some ramen but going out sounds way better. Let me shower and change then we can go. I'll meet in about twenty minutes, okay?" Sheldon nodded at this and made his way back to the guys' apartment. Penny moved some stuff around in the living to spite Sheldon's cleaning. 'Better be quick. Don't want Sheldon to nag me later.' Penny thought as she made her way to her bathroom.

Twenty minutes later saw Penny leaving her apartment. Making her way over to the guys' apartment, she started to rummage in her purse to ensure that she had her keys. She made to open the door but was startled by a sudden shout she heard coming from the apartment. Leaning in closer, she listened to see what was being yelled about. 'Leonard probably changed the thermostat.'

"I don't need your permission to go somewhere Sheldon! I'm your roommate! Not your babysitter!" Penny heard Leonard shouting. She was surprised to hear Sheldon yelling back at him. She had never heard him yell at anyone. Snide comments sure, but outright yelling was not a part of his normal repartee.

"I find it highly disturbing that you would make such a monumental decision without even considering my wellbeing. We have been roommates and friends for years now. How could you not even be considerate of …"

"I don't have to be considerate! You're an adult! You are just going to have to deal with it!"

Penny jumped back from the door as Sheldon stormed out. His sharpened gaze took in Penny's presence before he stormed down the stairs. Penny scurried to catch up with him.

They were making their way to a Sheldon approved restaurant with Penny giving Sheldon side looks the entire time.

"Penny, I find the knowledge that you are looking at me more then you are paying attention to the road to be highly disconcerting. If you have a question for me, I request that you ask it. Preferably with your eyes on the road." Sheldon remarked dully.

"What happened with Leonard? What did he do that was so inconsiderate?"

"He has been offered a sabbatical overseas at the Hadron Collider. He would be there for two years, maybe more."

"But that's great! Why are you not happy for him?"

Sheldon looked out the window, his face creased with worry lines. "If he leaves, that will change everything."

"What do you mean?"

"No longer will I have a roommate. No longer will I have a person to go out to eat with. I will not be able to get anywhere. Wolowitz and Koothrapali will have no more reason to come over. Halo night will be disrupted." Sheldon continued on with listing things that would change. All Penny could see was a guy that saw his perfectly ordered world come crumbling down around him. She saw a lost little boy who didn't know what was going to happen next. She wasn't too surprised when she interrupted him.

"Sheldon, things are gonna change. You can't stop them doing that. You have to just go with the flow of life. If you guilt trip Leonard into staying, making him give up one of the biggest opportunities of his life, you'd be experiencing change. However, that change will certainly make you lose Leonard as a friend. Besides," Penny smiled over at him, as she pulled into the Chinese restaurant's parking lot. Nudging lightly, she sent him her warmest smiles when he looked over."You still have me. I'm not going anywhere. Come on. Let's talk about it over dinner"

They made their way into the restaurant, with Sheldon being silent the entire way. The owners knew Sheldon, and knew about his craziness with food. However, he was a frequent patron and always tipped the waiters generously. They were sat in a Sheldon approved spot and left to look at menus. Sheldon still hadn't said and anything and Penny was getting worried.

"Penny?" Sheldon murmured.

"Yes sweetie?"

"You're going to have to drive me to work." He looked up at her, gauging her reaction.

Smiling, Penny nodded. "Of course. I leave for work a little later then you guys do normally. However," she pointed her chopsticks at him and smirked, "We need to come to an agreement. If my check engine light is on, that is my problem. I promise the car won't blow up. I will try not to speed as much, but I can't promise I won't if we are running late. I'll still come over for Halo night, but I reserve the right to either make changes to the schedule on weekends or amend them at least."

Sheldon looks like he about to protest but shuts his mouth. Looking up at Penny, he nods. "I accept these parameters. However, if you try to bring the chaos over from your apartment, I may have to draw up a friendship agreement form. Also, comic book night and laundry night are non-negotiable. I understand that you are busy, as am I, but I do not want us living in each other's pockets. I find pockets to be a mildly disturbing place to be housed." Penny extended her hand over the table, and with only mild trepidation of touching it, Sheldon shakes it.

"Now, on to more important matters" Sheldon raises an eyebrow over this statement as Penny leans in to loudly whisper "Who gets the extra wonton?"

Sheldon's face breaks out into a smile and he starts on a monologue about the origin of the wonton. Penny smiles and nods, all awhile thinking, 'This won't be too bad.'

***Update for you! I'm building the story up to the point where Penny and Sheldon are presently. I hope that you enjoy. There will probably be two-four more flashback chapters before I truly dig into the development of the P/S dynamic. Please let me know what you think. Reviews are candy to my soul. As always, Much love!****


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Lying on her bed, Penny let the exhaustion from her day seep out of her. 'Its always an adventure with Sheldon' mused as she stared up at her ceiling. The ceiling was lined with sparkly stars in correct astronomical order. Sheldon had put up the constellations up months ago after they had gone on their first trip to the observatory. It had been a weekend of firsts for both of them. It had also been the opening premiere for her TV show launch. 'Crazy to think that it has been over a year since the show started'

Over One Year Prior

Penny was walking through the tiny boutique, trying to find the perfect dress, when her phone started to buzz. Pulling her phone out, she smiled when she saw that it was Sheldon.

"Sup Moonpie! What's up?" she asked while continuing to peruse the rack of fluffy, pink dresses.

"I have thought of your plight Penny, and I believe that I have found the solution. I expect you to pick me up within the hour. Goodbye." Click. Staring at her phone, Penny was in shock over the abrupt manner in which Sheldon had talked to her. She was about to put her phone away when it buzzed again. Sheldon had sent her a text message: "Don't call me Moonpie. Only Meemaw is allowed to do that."

Chuckling, Penny continued to peruse the dresses. 'Everything is so cliché. I would look like everyone else at the premier.' The dress was for her first ever premier and Penny wanted it to make a statement. However, the only statement all these dresses were making was 'Whore!' Not exactly what she wanted to go with. The rest of the actors in the show were bookish, nerdy people, not unlike her boys. Thus far they had not really opened up to her, but Penny was still trying to crack their shell. She didn't want them to think she was some empty-headed blonde.

'Better get going. Sheldon is going to throw a tantrum if I'm late again. Then I'll have to memorize another set of elements. Ugh!' Sheldon's new tactic of punishment, since he could no longer punish Penny with strikes or banishment, he had settled for forcing her to learn science facts. If she didn't learn the facts for her punishment, Sheldon would make her life very difficult. Shuddering, she remembered the week of him only talking about atoms. He wouldn't stop talking about it, ignoring Penny completely, until to proved that she could recite the first 25 elements of the periodic table. 'Good thing I'm great at memorizing things' Penny thought as she cut someone off.

Penny pulled onto the freeway and made the short drive home. Pulling up to the building with only minutes to spare, she saw Sheldon waiting just inside the building. Honking her horn three times, she yelled loudly "Sheldon!" The noise startled him but he quickly gathered himself. Sheldon swiftly got into the car and immediately turned the radio down.

"Penny, we are going to be traveling approximately 1 hr to get to our destination. You will need to get on the northbound highway, and I will navigate us to destination from there" Sheldon said while rummaging through his ever present messenger bag.

"Nice to see you too, Sheldon! My day was great! Thank you for asking. How was your's?" Penny remarked sarcastically as she followed his instructions.

"Penny, you know that I am not fond of pointless chit-chat. However, I did procure our tickets for the observatory this weekend."

Interrupting him, Penny looked over. "Sheldon, you do remember that my premier is this weekend and you said that you'd be my escort?" That had been a fun conversation. The only reason he was agreeing to go was because Leonard Nimoy, Stan Lee, and many other geeky bigwigs would be there. She demanded that he wear a normal suit, but he refused to wear it without his superhero shirt underneath it.

Sheldon sent Penny an almost condescending glance before turning to face the front. "Penny, I am mentally incapable of forgetting. You know that. The observatory excursion that we are going on will not be until after the premier. I suggest that you adjust your sleeping schedule to compensate for the long night that will be happening this weekend. Did you know Penny…" and he was off. For the next hour, Sheldon continued on his sleep monologue with Penny only paying half attention to him. She was too busy thinking about her lack of premier dress to worry about her sleep schedule and what it was doing to her body staying up late.

A little less than an hour later, Sheldon told Penny that she was to take the next exit. After maneuvering through the town Sheldon brought her to, he told her to park in front of a smoothie bar.

"Your big answer to my dress dilemma is to take me to a remote smoothie bar?" Penny looked over at Sheldon once she finished parking. She was wearing her "You're such a wack-a-doodle!" look.

"Do not be absurd Penny. We are going to the store that is adjacent to it." He said while pointing at the aforementioned store.

Following his finger, Penny was surprised to see a tiny vintage store nestled between the smoothie conglomerate and a home-style restaurant. It was so small that if you blinked you'd miss it.

"We're going in there? I'm sorry, let me rephrase that, you're going in there? You do realize that those are people's old clothes on those racks, right? Hippies go to places like that. You know, those people you avoid cause they don't bath?"

"Penny, I am more then aware of the patrons of such a store. I have brought copious amounts of antibacterial wipes in my bag to use the moment we leave the establishment." Opening the car door, Sheldon glanced over at Penny. "You had a dilemma. I found a possible situation. If that means I will have to take an extra shower, so be it. You've told me numerous times that friends do this for each. We have to hurry. We still have to pick up takeout tonight. It is Thai-food night after all."

Getting out of the car, they made their way into the store. It was dimly lit and smelled faintly of patchouli. Racks upon racks crowded the small store making it difficult to maneuver. Penny giggled at Sheldon trying to avoid all the different racks of clothes. Penny grabbed a scarf and tossed it on his shoulder. Squealing, he tossed it across the room.

"Sir! Please do not toss the merchandise!" an elderly woman stepped out from a backroom, glaring disapprovingly at Sheldon.

"Ma'am, I called earlier to put a dress on hold. I am Dr. Sheldon Cooper and…"

"I remember who you are. You made me stay on the phone for over an hour making sure the dress was to you 'specifications.' You are a nuisance Mr. Cooper."

"Dr. Cooper, ma'am. I was merely insuring that the dress you highly boasted upon on your website was up to par for my friend. She is searching for a very particular dress."

"Yeah, yeah. Well you weren't kidding that your friend was pretty. The dress looks great on blondes. I'll go grab it for you." The woman made her way to the back room and out of sight.

"You picked a dress out for me?" Penny was amazed. It was so sweet that Sheldon had spent time trying to help her find a dress. 'Its probably a lime green monstrousity based on his tastes.' The snicker in her throat caught when she saw the dress the woman brought out. With wide eyes and her mouth agape, Penny slowly made her way up to the beautiful dress.

It was a fifties inspired dress in dark navy blue. However, the swirly dress was given a slight poof with the different layers of tool in navy and silver. Underneath the first layer of tool, the skirt was embroidered with silver stars. When the dress moved the stars would sparkle underneath the thin layer of tool on top of it. The strapless dress was one of the most beautiful dresses that Penny had ever seen.

"Sheldon, its gorgeous. How did you find it?"

"I was on stumbleupon and found it. I decided that you needed to wear it not only to your premier but to the observatory afterwards. It was fate, if you believe in such things. Which I don't. The law of large numbers dictate that…" and Sheldon continued to talking while Penny took the dress to try on. It fit perfectly, swaying and twirling in the right places. Huge smile on her face, Penny brought the dress up to the front to pay for it.

"That'll be $750." The woman replied monotonously.

"What!" Penny exclaimed. The beautiful dress was $250 out of her price range. She wasn't going to know how much she would be making until after the pilot aired. They had paid her upfront with some money, but not enough to purchase the dress of her dreams. Sheldon had made her sign a contract when they first started their arrangement that she would put paying bills over shoes or clothes. "I can't…"

"Take it home with out the proper garment carrying device. I assume that you have one in this establishment." Sheldon interjected while he wrestled for something out of his messenger bag. Grumbling, the woman went to the back once again, muttering under her breath about 'bossy customers' and what not.

Turning to Sheldon, Penny whispered fervently in his ear "Sheldon, I can' afford this dress! I told you my price range when we talked about this earlier. Did you forget?"

"I will not reiterate myself on the issue of me forgetting Penny. I decided when I found this dress that you and I would go, as you call it, 'half-sies.'"

"But why?"

"Penny, we are not only going to your premier on Friday. We are also going to a very prestigious observatory event. It is going to be very important that you 'look the part' if you want to get along with the astro-crowd. This is not longer up for discussion. We will each pay for half and be pleased that our partner for both events is going to be attractive." He turned back to the woman, who had come back out with a dress bag, and told how payment was going to be happening.

Smiling, Penny stood close to Sheldon. Not touching but enough to feel his body heat.

2:00am that Saturday

'What a night!' Penny thought as she waited for the observatory to open everything up to see night sky. The premier was a huge hit! Everyone of the critics loved the pilot and, even more so, loved her. Her agent had already texted her with movie deals for later that year. Most were being done in California but a couple were being shot in exotic locations. 'I could go to Bangkok or Australia or…' Her train of thought was cut off to the feel of Sheldon jostling against her.

Her Moonpie had been the perfect escort for her premier. Not only did he stay by her side and was attentive, he could actually help her with some of the bizarre fan questions she was getting asked. Penny knew the series but Sheldon had it memorized. Her cast members now loved her because of him. 'I guess they thought I'd bring some muscle riddled jerk' she mused as she saw Sheldon loosen his tie and open the top two buttons. His Superman t-shirt poked up defiantly.

Giggling softly, she leaned her head on Sheldon's shoulder. She had told her earlier in the evening that by 2:00am she was probably going to be a little tired. He then went off on her not taking his word on the issue of her sleeping schedule. When her head hit his shoulder, Sheldon stiffened for a moment but slowly began to relax. He was talking to Raj at the moment about the different anomalies that could happen.

She was just about to doze off when she felt Sheldon push her into an upright position. About to yell at him, she was cut off when his mouth was nearly placed up to her ear. "It's about to start" he whispered excitedly in her ear, his hot breath making her shiver slightly.

The observatory opened and a full night sky was in view. Penny waited diligently for something to happen when Sheldon gripped her hand. Using her hand to point, he showed her where to look.

"It's starting!" He exclaimed softly. Pulling her hand down, he turned avid eyes to the meteors that were darting across the sky. However, he did not let go of her hand. It felt strong and warm against Penny's palm.

Smiling lightly, she put her head back on Sheldon's shoulder to watch the meteors zip across the night sky. She was just about to doze off when the thought of leaving Sheldon was almost one of horror. 'I think that I'll take one of the jobs in California. Moonpie's my best friend. I can't leave him hanging' she mused drowsily before she fell asleep on Sheldon's shoulder.

****Happy Summer! Sorry for the lateness but life is kicking me in the face. I am alternating writing between my two stories to DIQ will be updated next and then this story….unless of course I am hit by the hammer of inspiration. I hope y'all enjoy! Review and let me know what you think. As always my beloved readers, Much Love!****


	5. Chapter 5

The Umbrella Matter

Chapter Five

Penny dozed on her bed, waiting for sleep to take her. The sparkly stars on her ceiling twinkled merrily down at her as she poked her stomach. 'My abs have gotten crazy flat since I did that barbarian queen movie.' The movie was a huge success and it had been Penny's first big movie. Barbarian queen takes over, finds love, and runs away to live happily ever after. Basically, just like any romantic movie ever made but with barbarians.

It wasn't until after that movie that Penny started to get noticed on the street. Normally it was a fan that wanted her signature, a picture, or maybe a hug. Unfortunately, there were also the guys that wanted more than a hug. The first time that happened Sheldon had been with her. 'Thank goodness. That guy was a jerk. Grabbing at her like that.'

Musing, she thought of how Sheldon had stepped up to the plate for her on that and many other occasions. 'That was the first time I ever saw him so,so…manly.'

A year prior:

Penny and Sheldon were ambling their way down the street on 'Anything-Could-Thursday.' Penny had cajoled Sheldon out of his apartment with promises of checking out the new comic book store that opened up closer to the apartment complex. However, he had to check out the new boutique with her that had opened a block closer then the new comic book store. He had made a minor complaint about having to go into a store predominantly painted in the color pink, but other than that he was a good sport about it.

"I think I should have gotten in the shoes in blue as well." Penny said as she swung her new purchases merrily. Shoes were still her thing. Major labels had started to send her different kinds of shoes after her movie hit number one. However, there was no bigger rush then finding the perfect shoes in the store.

Sheldon was walking swiftly towards the comic book store that was on the next block over. He threw Penny an arched brow that gave off the message of 'As if you need any more shoes crazy woman.' Penny was becoming quite adept at deciphering Sheldon's 'eyebrow conversations.'

"One can never own enough shoes, Moonpie." Penny said as she whacked him in the butt with her bag.

Sheldon opened his mouth in indignation but his rant was cut off by a group of men running up to them.

"Oh my God! It's you! You're that barbarian chick! You were so hot in that movie!" The men swarmed around Penny, effectively cutting Sheldon off from her.

Penny plastered her socialite smile as pens and slips of paper were shoved at her. She nodded along with all the questions and exclaims of her 'hotness.' Once the last piece of paper was thrust her way, she smiled brightly at them once more. "Thanks for all your support guys! I really love to know that I have such devouted fans." Inside, Penny was gagging. They were just like every other guy that had seen the movie. They were only interested in ogling her body and re-watching the nude scene that was briefly in the movie. That is, except for Sheldon. Sheldon always talked about her skills as a barbarian and how her acting improved from her previous endeavors.

"You have to come to a party with us. No one would believe that we got the barbarian chick to come!" This was met with a resounding chorus of 'You have to!' and 'Com' On!'

"Guys, I'm flattered, but I am very busy today. Plus, I haven't gone to a frat party in years." After she had started hanging out with Sheldon and guys, her love of stupid guys and their stupid parties dwindled. One can only watch someone funnel beer so many times before it gets really old.

"What? You too good for us? Too good for 'the little people!'" The ringleader of the group made to advance on Penny and made the mistake of grabbing Penny's wrist.

It only took a few seconds. One moment he was grabbing her wrist and she was about to smack the crap out of him. The next, he is kneeling on the ground whimpering in pain trying to pull his wrist out of Sheldon's grip. A white knuckled grip that was firmly pressing up into the guys wrist.

"Penny has quite clearly stated that she is unable to attend your 'party.' You should accept graciously and leave with your tokens of Penny's flattery at your interest in her movie." Sheldon pushed his grip a little higher up on the guy thus making the guy whimper loudly. "Understand?" The guy nodded frantically and Sheldon let him go.

"Penny, I suggest that we leave now. We have been deterred long enough by your 'fans.'" Sheldon put his hand on the small of her back to push her forward. Penny didn't have time to decipher the flip in her stomach because the frat guy decided he had not learned his lesson. They had not made it more then a few yards before he yelled after them.

"What! You her bodyguard? I can take ya! You only caught me by surprise." The next thing Penny heard was the echo of clumsily sounding feet running on the pavement.

Penny heard Sheldon sigh as he gave her a firm push forward. The momentum of it caused her to twist sideways to catch her balance. Good thing she did or else she would have missed Sheldon's display of awesome. The guy had thrown a punch in which Sheldon had merely deflected as he dropped his bag. On the next barrage of punches, Sheldon merely moved or deflected them. However, once the frat guy got close enough, Sheldon grabbed his shirt and threw him over his shoulder. The frat guy landed with a resounding thud and a groan of pain. 'What the frack?' Penny thought as she ran up to Sheldon to make sure he was alright. Other than his clothes being wrinkled, he was fine. Penny ran her hands up and down Sheldon's arms and torso to make sure he was ok. Arms of concealed power and a torso that …

"Penny" She was pulled out of her thoughts as Sheldon leaned down to pick up his bag. Dusting it off, he looked at her inquiringly. "We are going to the comic book store still, right?" Sheldon looked rather worried at the notion. He didn't look worried when a man was charging at him with the intent of injuring him but he was worried that Penny would take his comic book store trip. 'Only my Moonpie!', which caused Penny to stop her thoughts because of her very possessive use of 'my.'

Penny broke out with a startled laugh and a bright grin. "Of course Moonpie! Lets go!" Linking arms with him they continued their ambling down the street, Sheldon telling her about the new comics that were out today and Penny commenting on her need for the blue shoes.

It wasn't until later that Penny learned that Sheldon had taken Tae-Kwon-Do classes after his and Leonard's altercation with Penny's ex boyfriend. "I'm a world renowned physicist. I think it is high-time that I stopped getting pantsed" was his only comment before he went on to tell her about pressure points and good places to hit people.

The next day, as Penny was trolling her favorite gossip site, she came across a video labeled "Queen Penelope rescued from Trolls." A lot of people called her "Queen Penelope" after she had told a talk show once about her 'Conan' fixation. Clicking on play, Penny saw that it was yesterday's mishap with the frat guys. It was not bad quality and showed the frat guy grabbing Penny and everything thereafter. Watching Sheldon take down the guy again made Penny a little flustered. However, it was the comments underneath the video that had Penny blushing.

'I'd like to have him be my knight in shining armor. Meow!'

'Where can I get tall, dark, and nerdy?'

'Who's the hottie? He kicked azz!"

'Penny is sooooo lucky! He's super fine!'

'He can rescue me anyday!'

The comment went on and on. Some cute, some stupid, and some downright lewd. Penny smiled brighter as she noted the number of views: 876,098 people had seen Sheldon take down that guy. Penny sent the link to Sheldon and it wasn't two minutes after until she heard the loud "Penny!" along with three knock successively on her door.

About to head to the door, Penny glanced over at the screen one more time. 'Sheldor soooo has Queen P's back' she wrote in the comment box as she laughed merrily.

*****Thanks for the lovely reviews! Please let me know what you think of the chapter. I've always loved the notion of strong Sheldon but Sheldon would always use brains over brawn. Hence, TKD as his form of defense. All pressure points and fun stuff. Hope you enjoyed! Much love!*****


	6. Chapter 6

Umbrella Matter

Chapter 6

"Moonpie!" Penny yelled as she startled herself awake. Looking around, she noted that it was already morning. 'Must have fell asleep while thinking about Sheldon,' Penny dragged herself out of bed and slowly, ever so slowly, made her way to her kitchen. 'Coffee will make everything better' was the only thought that made Penny make it all the way across her apartment.

Upon reaching her coffee pot (already brewing due to Sheldon making a preset on her coffee machine), she grabbed the handle of her fridge door. The door was covered with photos of Penny and her friends. The guys, mainly Sheldon, made numerous appearances on the fridge. It was one particular photo that had Penny stopping from pulling open the fridge.

It was taken a few months ago at Comic Con in San Diego. Penny was dressed up as her Queen Penelope alter ego from the "Age of Conan" game with Sheldon standing right next to her as Sheldor the Conqueror. They had actually won a contest for original character costumes. The photo showed them laughing and shouting victoriously into a camera with their full on barbarian gear.

'That was the first Comic Con that Sheldon went without the guys.' Leonard was still on sabbatical so Sheldon had assumed that they were not going that year out of respect to him. Howard and Koothrapali did not believe that. They had gone to the convention but didn't tell Sheldon they had purchased their tickets. It was one of the main reasons that Penny was not so keen on hanging out with them lately. Sheldon may not realize the metaphorical slap but Penny sure did. And she was not pleased. 'No one F's with my Moonpie' she had to pull some strings to get them tickets. It was relatively easy due to the combination of her comic book adapted show, Barbarian movie, and she had just finished filming a new action movie based on a cult classic comic book. He had also been able to meet a few of his favorite people in the geek world without getting a restraining order put against him.

-A few months prior—

Penny was coming back from work a little early to surprise Sheldon. It was New Comic Book day, and for the past ten he had been complaining that, due to her late arrival, he was stuck purchasing comics that had already been overly rifled with. Filming took, as her director put it, 'As long as it's going to take to get it right.' They had been logging in longer hours to finish on time for the deadline of the movie. However, they had finished filming early today so Penny had made sure to hurry back to the apartment complex before a co-worker could ask her to do, well, anything. She had sent him a text in advance to be ready.

There was not an expectant nerd waiting for her when she got to Sheldon's apartment. She let herself into the apartment like she normally did and found the living room to be empty. Whipping out her phone, Penny called Sheldon's phone and made to leave the apartment. That's when she heard the undeniable "Care Bear" theme song ringtone that he had put in place just for her. It was coming from his room.

'Weird. Sheldon never just hangs out in his room. Oh Wait! He always goes through his comics to see which one he needs to get on New Comic Book day' she mused as she made her way down the hall. Doing the three knocks, she let herself in.

Sheldon was curled up in a ball on the bed, staring morosely at his computer screen.

Walking up to the bed, Penny sat down and placed a hand on Sheldon's shoulder. "What's wrong, Sheldon? Comic you want not coming out soon enough." Smiling, she rubbed his arm affectionately. Before she could think about the definition of muscle she felt underneath his shirt, Sheldon interrupted her thoughts.

"I was made aware by Wolowitz and Koothrapali that they will be attending this year's Comic Con. I, under the notion that we would not go due to the absence of Leonard being gone, did not purchase my tickets for the convention at an appropriate time. Now, it is too late. The convention is this weekend and tickets are nowhere to be found on the internet. I will be forced to be regaled of stories of the Con by two men that only look at a women's sexual appearance and not the accuracy of her costume. That is not to even start on all the different panels I wished to attend." Sighing, he closed his computer. "Penny, I am not up for going to the comic book store and hearing everyone discuss their plans for Comic Con. I'd like you to please leave." He curled further into himself, making himself seem smaller which Penny did not know was possible.

Penny gave his arm one more affectionate squeeze before letting herself out. It wasn't until she had reached her own apartment, that she had mustered an all encompassing rage. Rage at Howard and Raj for being dicks. Rage at the Con for not having more tickets. Rage at the notion of Sheldon missing something he loved to do. It was with such rage that she punched her boss's number into her phone. She only had to wait through two rings before he picked up.

"Hey! What up Pen?"

"Daniel, I need a favor in a big way. I'll even do that thing that I said I would never do to get it accomplished. I know I said no before but I am now prepared to do it."

-That following weekend—

"Penny, I do not appreciate you tying me up, blindfolding me, shoving me in your car, and driving me to some unknown location for an indeterminable amount of time. Where are you taking me?" Sheldon yelled at Penny as she smirked evilly. Penny had showed up early Thursday, and used her Junior Rodeo and barbarian honed skills to 'round up' Sheldon. She didn't want to ruin the surprise for him. She had snuck into his apartment and packed his bag for the weekend.

"Moonpie, stop complaining so much. Besides, we're here!", she exclaimed as she pulled up into front of the huge convention center. She pulled the ties around his hands off before yelling "Come on Moonpie! We have to hit up registration."

Sheldon yanked off his blindfold with his now free hands, complaints on the tip of tongue, but the sight that greeted him made his brain stop. Comic Con dedicated followers were already lined up to get in early. So many characters from so many different types of fandom were milling about. The buzzing excitement was even getting to Penny. She bounced on her heels eagerly as Sheldon slowly let himself out of the car. His awestruck expression made the entire subterfuge more than worth it.

"Penny, why are we here? I told you that all tickets were sold out."

Penny's grin got larger as she stretched her arms. "That would be for normal citizens. You forget that I have a few connections in this world now. I had to pull a few strings, and call in a few favors. All I had to promise was to dress up as Caitlin Fairchild for a few panels and press conferences, take a million photos with people that don't understand the concept of bathing, and answer bizarre questions that no one has the right to know about me. However, that being said and done, you and I now are in possession of two all access badges to this year's Comic Con. I had to list you as my 'entourage' but it all worked out in the end. So, what…!"

Penny was cut off from her inquiry of Sheldon's thoughts on the whole thing by him hugging her. No awkward, half-bent hug where he is completely stiff. A full on 'I'll Melt With You' kind of hug. Her arms automatically went around Sheldon to hug him back. After a few more moments of the most perfect hug Penny had ever experienced, Sheldon pulled away with the biggest smile she had ever seen. Not the creepy Joker smile, but a full-fledge smile that made his entire face light up. The entire trip could go to complete Hell and Penny would still count it a success for being able to see that smile.

"There are no words to describe how pleased and excited I about this surprise. You are the most amazing human being I have ever encountered."

Penny blushed under such praise. Sheldon, as a whole, was not too fond of the rest of the human race. Even Penny felt like he only tolerated her some days.

"Let's go!" Sheldon surprised her again by grabbing her hand, his luggage in the other, and pulled her towards the front doors to registration.

Various nerds from numerous directions swarmed around Penny once she made it through the door. Even without any makeup on, she was highly recognizable in this crowd. Shouts of praise and commendations were thrown at her as she was pulled along to the Pre-Reg desk. Upon arrival, Sheldon pushed her in front of him, bouncing on his toes his face unchanged from his look exaltation as he took in everything around him.

"Hey, I need to pick up my passes for the weekend."

"Well you can wait with everyone else in line. No cutting." The man told her as he continued to flip through his magazine. Penny's short fuse was ignited as she was ignored by the registration desk clerk. However, Sheldon beat her to the punch. He yanked the magazine out of the man's hand and slammed it against the table.

"She is here as one of the panelists. Penny here needs to register and be able to put her belongings away if she is to handle all the crowds that will be vying for her attention this weekend. So, if you can kindly get off your already all encompassing posterior, she would appreciate being told which way she needs to proceed."

The man cowered under Sheldon's glare and turned to actually look at Penny. His eyes' widened in recognition as he hastily pulled a packet out for her.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't realize that you were one of our esteemed guests. Please forgive me. You need to proceed up to the ballroom to get your registration information up there. They are having a meet and greet for all the panelist and guests. That way everyone can meet on uninterrupted ground without fans swarming them. Just up the stairs and to the left. You won't miss it."

The man groveled for her forgiveness and even had the audacity to ask for an autograph. Penny hastily scribbled her name on a pad he had as she made her way up the stairs. The person at the next desk was much more helpful and accommodating. She had someone come get their bags, got him their all access badges, and handed them their name tags.

Upon entering the ballroom, Penny's hand was grabbed. Looking up at Sheldon, she sent him quirked eyebrow. He looked like all of his Saturnalias and birthdays had come at once.

"This is the most amazing gift anyone has ever given me, Penny. Thank you." The sincerity of the thank made Penny's eye mist over.

"Don't worry about it Moonpie. Or should I say Sheldor. I might have packed your Sheldor the Conqueror costume for this weekend? What do you say? Queen P and Sheldor hitting up Comic Con when all my prerequisites are taken care of? Sounds fun, right?"

"Nothing could be more stimulating at this juncture. However, I will need to see through my duties as your entourage. I will be there for all of your appearances."

"You don't have to do that Sheldon. I want you to have fun."

"It is no bother, Penny. I will draw up a schedule that will adhere by for the weekend."

"No Sheldon! I mean…that is to say.. you don't… Look over there! Joss Whedon!" Penny pointed over Sheldon's shoulder.

"Where?" Sheldon whipped around and headed in the aforementioned direction. Penny didn't think it all the way through because Sheldon was still grasping her hand tightly. Penny was pulled along for the ride known as Sheldon Cooper.

The weekend had been a blast. The panels had been fun. Only a few inappropriate questions were asked and, as Joss Whedon had told her at the meet and greet, she had the option of not answer. Sheldon maintained his promise to be at all of her panels, picture takings, and all of her other obligations that she had made to get them tickets to the Con. Not only had they gone as their barbarian alter egos, they had dressed up as the 10th Doctor and Rose from Dr. Who, Selena Kyle/Catwoman and Batman, and Black Canary and the Flash. Sheldon had been in Nerdvana. He had met numerous idols of his without getting into any difficulties with the law: Joss Whedon, Leonard Nimoy, Will Shatner, Stan Lee, Felicia Day, and many more that he all obtained pictures with. It was cute to see fan boy Sheldon. They had dined with stars of movies and shows that Sheldon loved. Meet the people behind all of his favorite works. The all access badges got used thoroughly. The entire weekend, dressed up as numerous characters from numerous fandom, was full of experiences that Penny would never forget.

Though, her favorite moment was one that gave her the most vindictive pleasure. Penny, as a celebrity guest, was allowed to cut through any line to anything that she wanted. Sheldon wanted to wait in line ("That's part of the experience!") but Penny wouldn't hear it. She hated to wait in long lines and if she was big celebrity in this world why shouldn't she use it to her advantage ("That's part of the experience" she had thrown back at him).

While walking past everyone in line, most of the people were a haze of nerdy blur. However, there were two faces near the front that stood out in stark contrast from the rest of the blur. Howard and Raj looked at Penny and Sheldon making their way past the line in complete disbelief. Sheldon had not seen them, chattering on excitedly about the future of this panel, but Penny did not miss a beat. Smirking at them, she flipped them the bird before waltzing into the room with the awaiting panel.

******Update! Yay! Hope y'all enjoy it. I really enjoyed writing it. I'm not the biggest Raj or Howard fan. Well, until Bernadette that is. I love how she has made Howard a bit better. Please let me know what you think. This fic is about to wrap up. I have about two/three more chapters planned before the conclusion. Please stayed tuned.

Much Love Dear Readers!*******


	7. Chapter 7

The Umbrella Matter

Chapter Seven

Penny had long since finished her coffee and was just sitting on her couch reminiscing about the all the things she had done with Sheldon. Most of them were fun things: movies, outings, and mini 'quests' that tested their friendship. However, there was one time in particular that was not especially fun. Actually, it was downright miserable for most of it. It was the experience that brought Penny closer to not only Sheldon but his entire family.

Last Month:

The storm raged on outside of Penny's window, roughly shaking the windowpane from the onslaught of the rain.

"Ugh, good thing work was canceled for this storm" Penny muttered to herself as she put the finishing touches on Sheldon's and her hot chocolate. Penny apparently was one of the few people able to get Sheldon's perfect hot chocolate right. Utilizing years of tray balancing, Penny walked the short trek across the hall to join Sheldon in an impromptu movie night/laundry night. Using her foot, she popped the door open and let herself in. Right into a scene of Sheldon actually yelling.

"I do not care what the conditions are. I need to find a flight to Texas. No. No. It's not raining there. This storm is bad but an overhyped media blowout that force the ordinary man, such as yourself, to cower in fear. Its..hello? Hello? Dammit!" Sheldon sighed explosively before punching another phone number in. Penny put the tray of hot chocolate on the kitchen island and watched Sheldon start another heated conversation on the phone.

Sighing explosively, Sheldon threw his phone on the chair and fell into his designated spot on the couch. Penny made her way over to Sheldon, hot chocolate in hand. Sitting down gingerly next to him, Penny put the hot chocolate and glanced up at Sheldon. He had his face covered by his hands and he was counting in what she thought to be German.

"Sheldon, honey, what's going on? You never yell. What's wrong?"

"I've been trying to get a flight, bus, or train out of this state to get to Texas but my efforts have been completely futile. I have been unable to reach anyone with common sense. Anyone with any level of intelligence would know that this storm will pass within the weekend and that it is not hitting anywhere past this state. I need to get to Texas Penny! I have to!"

"Why do you need to get to Texas?" Penny was startled when she saw wet Sheldon's eyes were. He looked like he was about to cry.

"Its Meemaw. She's in the hospital." Sheldon pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes and sighed again. "There is no way for me to get out of this damned state to see her. My mother said that Meemaw got very sick and collapsed. I don't know what to do Penny. What if Meemaw won't be there when I get there? I don't know how I could live with myself if I wasn't there. She promised Penny but…."

"I'll take you."

"What!" Sheldon's head whipped around and, for a moment, a bright light shone in his eyes. However, his logical side came through and promptly smothered it. "No, thank you Penny. It is dangerous. The rain out there, combined with your "Check Engine" light, would not be the safest choice for you. Plus the fact that it is over 1500 miles from Pasadena to Texas. I could not ask you to do that. It would be…"

"Sheldon. Pack a bag. We leave in 15 minutes. I just have to pack and call my boss."

Sheldon gaped at her and was unmoving. Penny made shooing motions with her hands and got up. "You now only have 14 minutes. Make the best of them Sheldon. Be ready when I get back." This got Sheldon moving as he scrambled to his room. Making her way across the hall to her apartment, Penny dialed her boss's number.

"Hey, it's Penny. I know we tentatively said that we would only have about 2 days off but I'm not going to be able to come into work till next week….No I am not sick….Yes I understand that but my friend's grandmother is really sick….yes the one that lives across the hall….yes he is from Texas….no there are no flights…yes I am driving all the way to Texas….thanks for the vote of confidence. I'll call you when I get back. I really appreciate it….yeah I'll keep you updated. Bye."

Penny dropped her phone into her purse and made her way to her room. Grabbing her duffle bag from the closet, she started dumping all her comfortable clothes into the large bag. She stopped for a moment and carefully packed a sundress that was very modest. 'In case we have to go to church with his mother' she thought, grabbing all bathroom essentials quickly. It was the fastest that Penny had ever gotten ready in a short seven minutes.

Making her way out of the apartment, she made sure everything was turned off before locking up behind her. Shouldering her bag, Penny started to make her way across the hall. Sheldon was just locking up his apartment with his 'Emergency Bag' slung over his shoulder. Sheldon looked haggard and worn-out already. They worked their way down the stairs not saying a word. Penny unlocked her car hurriedly as she sprinted through the rain. Tossing her bag in the back, she jumped into the driver's seat.

Sheldon was not hurrying as fast. He continued to walk in the torrent rain and placed his bag in the back. He eventually made his way into the passenger seat and put his messenger bag at his feet. His eyes looked dead. Penny's heart was breaking seeing him like this.

"Sheldon, why didn't you hurry in the rain? You got soaked."

A brief flicker of light shone in Sheldon's eyes for a moment as he remarked, "It doesn't matter if you run or walk. You're going to get just as wet either way." The light from imparting knowledge passed and Sheldon's eyes went back to being blank.

Sighing, Penny turned on the Tom-Tom, revved up her engine, and slowly made her way out the apartment complex.

12 hrs later

Penny was slowly starting to lag as they drove through New Mexico. 'Or where ever Las Cruces is in the US' Penny's muddled brain thought as her little Jeep chugged right along. Sheldon was still just staring out the window as they sped past the dry landscape. He had not said more than a few words the entire trip. No witty remarks about the places they were seeing. No snarky comments about her driving. And no car games that he was so fond of.

'This is not gonna work for me,' Penny slammed back another energy drink and set her plan into motion. 'The fact that this plan was brought forth from 12 straight hours of driving, no talking, and about 10 energy drinks did not bode well for the sanity of the plan' she chuckled to herself.

Turning on her signal, Penny turned onto the frontage road and turned into the closest truck stop. Penny unbuckled herself from the car and got out to stretch.

"Alright Sheldon. You're gonna have to take over for awhile. I can't drive anymore."

Sheldon's head whipped around and he stared at her, mouth agape. "Penny, you know that I can't drive. It was a fruitless and long endeavor last time we attempted that."

"That was before we had a time limit. You're just gonna have to get over this silly fear. Plus, we are going to be driving on a straight away for the next few hours. You'll do fine. Now move out of my seat."

Sheldon looked at Penny like she had grown a third head. Slowly unbuckling himself from the passenger seat, Sheldon made his way to the driver's side. Giving Penny one more pleading look, he sighed before strapping himself into the driver's seat.

"Just ease out of the parking spot, and get back on the highway." Sheldon's eyes got even bigger at this notion and his grip on the steering wheel made his knuckles go white. "Or we can take the tiny highway coming up. I'll leave it up to you."

"Tin…what would be faster?" Sheldon asked.

"Highway 10."

Gulping, Sheldon nodded. "Highway 10 it is. Let us continue on."

Sheldon pulled out of the truck stop and made his way onto the highway. He was going almost painfully slow and was getting honked at repetitively. He was shaking in his seat and whipping his head back and forth to watch cars passing him. 'Crap. My plan has failed. He's not going to be able to handle this.' Penny's mind was whirring with how to make him pull over safely when he softly interrupted her.

"Penny. I believe it is navigator's job to distract the driver."

This brought Penny out of her self induced stupor. "That's right. What do you want to do? We can play the element game."

"That sounds promising now that you are proficient with the elements. You may start."

"Helium."

14 hours later.

It was more than an entire day of continuous driving with them switching back and forth. Sheldon, once distracted and properly motivated, could drive just fine. He actually went over the speed limit a few times. Between the two of them, they passed the time playing different car games. Sheldon also regaled Penny with stories of Meemaw and everything that she had done for him. Stories about him and his siblings at young ages. They brought a whole other dimension to Sheldon's already multi-faceted personality.

They made incredible time and were just pulling into the hospital that Meemaw was being housed at 27 hours from the time they departed Pasadena.

Penny had barely made it into to the parking spot before Sheldon darted out of the car. He raced into the hospital. Putting the car in park and locking up her travel-abused vehicle, Penny swiftly made her way into the hospital. Seeing the flustered nurses talking animatedly at the desk, she assumed that Sheldon had just interrogated them. She tried to get their attention but they were too consumed in their conversation. Slamming her hand down on the metal counter got their attention.

"Where did the tall, neurotic man go?" she barked.

"Fourth floor, room 425", one of the little nurses mumbled out. Nodded her thanks. Penny left to the sound of two nurses' grumblings.

Penny made her way up to the aforementioned room, wringing her hands. 'What if we were too late? What if I didn't get him here in time?" Gulping, she pushed the door open. What she walked in on was disturbing.

Sheldon was lying on the floor comatose as his family laughed at his state. Even Meemaw, who was sitting up in bed, was chuckling at her 'Moonpie.' Upon hearing the door creak open, they all looked towards Penny. Seeing Penny in the hospital room made the family break down into another fit of laughter. Missy was draped across her seat, leaning against a man that Penny assumed was Sheldon's older brother. Mary was sitting next to Meemaw with her feet propped up against the bed.

"Oh Penny! I'm so sorry. I told him that he didn't need to come down. That everything would work out the way it was supposed to. You know how he gets. I've been trying to get ahold of him for the past day. (Penny remembered that Sheldon had forgotten his charger and his phone died somewhere in Arizona.) Meemaw made a roundabout recovery from the food poisoning," Sheldon's mom gave Meemaw a very pointed look. "She just can't help herself from getting her tamales from the back of a truck. The young doctor she went to didn't know food poisoning from pneumonia. My poor Shelly. He came in and fainted when his Meemaw said hello to him."

The family continued to laugh and Penny's temper spiked.

"Sheldon was worried sick and all you can do is laugh at the fact that he passed out from pure exhaustion! We drove for more than a day straight to get here! He thought you were dying!" Penny gestured at Sheldon's Meemaw. "You all should be ashamed of yourselves. Not telling Sheldon what was really happening. The only reason his phone died was because he kept checking it for messages. He was worried that she would die before he got here! And you have the audacity to laugh! You are Horrible!"

The room became eerily silent after Penny's outburst. It was Meemaw that broke it. Her stare seemed to pierce Penny's soul. Turning towards Sheldon's mother, she nodded to her.

"Mary, you take your children to the waiting room. I believe that Penny and I need to talk." Nodding, Sheldon's mom gestured Sheldon's brother to his prone body. Without straining himself, he hefted Sheldon over his shoulder and carried him out of the room. Smiling sympathetically, Missy closed the door behind them. "Take a seat Penny. I think it's time we finally had a chat."

'Crap on a cracker' was all Penny could think as she slunk into the seat next to Meemaw's bed. Yelling at Sheldon's grandmother was not the plan but ange,r combined with the lack of sleep, had momentarily gotten to her.

"Penny, I realize that you have become a major fixture in Sheldon's life, but you need to know that we have been major fixtures since he was born. There is no one, and I mean no one, that cares more for my Moonpie then I do. We only laughed because he had taken a minor matter and worked his big brain into a tizzy. For someone so smart, he can be rather naïve about practical things. Besides, he promised me a "Meemaw First Dance" at his wedding and I plan to collect. I can't go anywhere till I see that he'll be taken care of when I am gone. I see that he may have found that."

Before Penny could ask her what she meant, Sheldon burst back into the room.

"Meemaw!"

"Moonpie, calm down. I'm going to be fine. It was just a bad tamale and a silly doctor that got me here. I'm not going anywhere."

The tears that were present in Sheldon's eyes throughout the trip made another appearance. Taking a few gulping breaths, he shuffled up to Meemaw's bedside.

Jumping up, Penny muttered "I'll give you some space" and made her way out of the room. And promptly into the rest of his family.

"Well aren't you just a little Snap Dragon. My name's George Cooper, Jr. Your movies do not do you justice." Penny rolled her eyes, preparing for the onslaught of praise sure to come. "They make you seem sweet compared to how you actually are. I'd rather get yelled at by a Barbarian Queen then by Penny."

Blinking, Penny bursts out laughing. Clapping him on the back, she steered him and Missy back to the waiting area. "How do you think I can handle being with your brother if I'm not firm?" That brought another round of laughter to an otherwise bleak location.

The next two days were spent exploring Texas with Missy, drinking with George, learning to bake from Meemaw, and Sheldon showing her where he grew up. Penny was sad to leave and looked back for awhile as they made their way back to Pasadena. Sheldon wanted to drive the way back home to help hone his skills.

"Penny?"

Pushing her sunglasses up, Penny turned to look at him. "What up Moonpie?"

Sheldon frowned but couldn't say anything cause Meemaw had given Penny honorary use of the nickname. "How do you feel about getting back a day or so late?"

This got Penny interested. Sheldon never strayed from his plans frivolously. "What were you thinkin' Moonpie?"

"Well, there is a place in Amarillo were you can, as you put it, "tag some Caddies." I remember your love for deviancy. Also, you remarked a few months back that you had never been the Grand Canyon. We could stop if you like."

Penny's heart flitted about in her chest as a huge smile broke out across her face. Not only did he want to go do something that she would be interested in but he remembered a small remark that she said months ago. Pushing her sunglasses back down, Penny propped her feet up on the dashboard and leaned her seat back. The Texas sun poured through her windows, reflecting her happy mood perfectly.

"Alrighty Moonpie, but we have to stop off at Roswell as well. If we are gonna go see something that I never got to, you might as well get to see one that you want to see as well."

The boyish grin that spread across Sheldon's face didn't make her think he was going to kill Batman but, rather, enjoy a few days exploring the US with Penny. A few days with just her and the open road.

"We might need a few more days Penny. Roswell is out of the way."

"No prob, Moonpie. We'll think of a really good excuse along the way for being so late."

Eliciting a loud laugh from Sheldon, they continued driving.

****** Thanks for all the support! I know that I haven't written in forever but writer's block is crazy hard to shake. Along with getting a job, boyfriend, moving, and all that jazz, life has been crazy hectic. However, that being said, I am going to be trying to finish fic by the end of November and hopefully DIQ by the end of the year. With y'all's support I'm sure that I can. Your reviews are both flattering and motivating. Please let me know what you think. Pretty sure there is only going to be one more chapter for this fic. Much Love!*****


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